The present invention relates to computing systems in general, and particularly, to a docking station provided with devices which allows a portable computer installed in the station to use these devices. More particularly, the invention relates to a docking station that enables a portable computer to be efficiently ejected.
To eject a notebook type PC (Personal Computer) from a docking station, an OS (Operating System) of the notebook type PC must disconnect drivers for devices used, via the docking station, by the notebook type PC installed in the docking station. This is to prevent the ejected notebook type PC from hanging up. Accordingly, a conventional typical docking station is provided with an eject button and an eject request button. A user first pushes the eject request button. Subsequently, the OS of the notebook type computer completes disconnections and the user is notified of this through a predetermined lamp which is lit on the docking station, an indication on a screen of the notebook type PC, or the like. Then, the user pushes the eject button to remove the notebook type PC from the docking station.
A conventional eject operation in the docking station requires the user to operate the two buttons; the eject request button and the eject button. Furthermore, the user must confirm that the OS of the notebook type PC completes disconnection of the drivers for those devices in the docking station which were in operation, creating a laborious operation.
One purpose of the present invention is to provide a docking station which has a reduced number of components to operate in ejecting the portable computer and which simplifies an eject operation.